All That An Image Encompasses
by FangirlingCaptain
Summary: What if Eddie had a picture of Jamie in her service cap? What if Maya happened to see it? (My take on Maya finding out about Jamie and Eddie's engagement.)


**_A/N: Hello! I hope you have all enjoyed my stories and thank you for all the favs, follows and reviews. The response has been amazing! If you haven't read my last few fanfics, I hope you check them out and enjoy them._**

 ** _So since I last wrote a fanfic quite a few things have happened, one of them being Maya, Eddie's new partner. I quite like her but I do think that she needs to know about their engagement, so this takes place after the end of the episode and everything that happened there._**

 ** _I know that Jamie may seem a bit OOC in this in terms of more romantic than on the show but that is because I believe that the writers have been trying to keep the nature of their relationship as close to their partnership as possible because of the issue with them still sort of working together and they are probably a bit apprehensive about changing something that the fans love. I think they probably need to branch out a little more into the romantic side of their relationship since that aspect has actually changed, which they have delved into a bit but they need to approach more. I also know that Blue Bloods isn't a show big on romance so that plays a part, but I have kept it as much like Jamie as possible however just exploring a side of Jamie we don't see too often but I am sure exists._**

 ** _This has surprisingly been the easiest fanfic to write in terms of flow and the words forming so I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it._**

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own Blue Bloods or any of the characters, I only own the storyline._**

* * *

A well deserved lunch after a long morning dealing with the troubles and complaints of their neighbourhood, awaited Eddie and Maya. They could finally sit and enjoy their meal in their radio car after a never-ending morning.

Eddie began to brainstorm what she could use as icebreakers to attempt to start a conversation. After all, their partnership was still new and they didn't know much about each other and who they were. It was quite a strange feeling after being partnered with Jamie for 5 years where they knew what the other was thinking and knew their next move before they had even contemplated it themselves. It was never an awkward silence and they always enjoyed each other's company.

It was quite a stark contrast in this new partnership. As much as she liked Maya and felt that they could have a good, successful partnership, she couldn't stop herself from missing the experiences her and Jamie had together.

Not wanting to allow negative thoughts to cloud her outlook on the situation, Eddie tried to wipe those thoughts away, instead focusing on how she could find out more about her new partner. After all, Eddie did enjoy getting to work with other fellow officers, allowing her to gain a new perspective after she had had the same partner for the better part of 5 years.

Although, one good thing had already come out of this partnership. She was finally the one driving! If only Jamie could see her now, sitting on the left side of the car, a rare experience for her when she was partnered with him.

Deep in her thoughts, Eddie did not realise her phone ringing, startling her, causing her phone to drop on the ground. As she went to pick it up, she heard Maya gasp in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Eddie asked confused as to what elicited such a response from her partner.

Maya simply pointed at Eddie's service cap which had flipped over in her quest to regathering her phone. Inside the cap was an image of Jamie, where he was facing over the railing with his head slightly turned so that his face could be seen, taken on one of their many trips walking through Central Park, enjoying each other's company now that they could finally experience that without fearing any repercussions. Eddie remembered thinking he had looked so carefree, something that she didn't see on him much considering his serious nature, one that was particularly elevated when he became Sergeant and had more on his plate than he had imagined. It was a photo she had taken in the hopes that she would see that expression on his face sooner rather than later, and more often then not. Jamie had no idea she had taken the image and as soon as she had the opportunity, she knew she had to add it to her service cap, especially after the fire incident where the situation could have turned sideways very easily and either of them could have lost their lives.

Having that image with her at all times meant that Jamie could be with her whilst on patrol even if he was not there physically. It was a way to remind herself that she had someone waiting for her at the end of the day and a piece of their cherished partnership would stay with her at all times, almost like a good luck charm. It was also a temporary fix to not wearing her ring during work hours, due to the hidden nature of their relationship from their peers. It was something that grounded her and kept her fighting through every situation. A reminder of the right way to deal with situations, especially tough calls, something Jamie had taught her over their years together. A reminder of "No retreat, No surrender", a mantra that had become more important to them than they would have ever thought and one that no doubt will continue to bring them together in the future.

"Oh that, right," Eddie finally looked up at Maya. "I can't really pretend you didn't see what you think you saw can I?"

"Well I think I just saw an image of our Sergeant in your cap," Maya responded in disbelief, shocked at what had transpired.

"Well you see, we are engaged," Eddie blurted out.

"You and Sergeant Reagan?"

"Yep that's right. My Boss is my fiancé. It's a very strange situation but we are starting to come to terms with it."

"Weren't you guys partners at the 12th?" Maya asked confused.

"We were partners for 5 years and over that time I guess we fell in love but didn't want to do anything about it because we didn't want to lose the great partnership we had but then I got shot and we saved a baby and he was targeted by a hitman and almost shot at, point blank, and it was just a lot of emotion within a few weeks and we decided we would not waste anymore time on what we knew would be it for the both of us.

After confessing our feelings once and for all we kind of realised there was no point in waiting anymore since we knew every aspect of each other's lives and Jamie proposed and we are now getting married," summed up Eddie, reliving the emotionally draining and tough weeks they had gone through only a few months prior.

"No wonder you were defending him so much. I was surprised since we had been given the same punishment and you were fine with it. I figured it was some kind of partnership loyalty creeping in," Maya realised, finally getting a grasp on what had gone down that week.

"Look I know it may have seemed harsh but his heart was in the right place. According to Jamie, he was trying to get us to bond and build a partnership over a mutual enemy, his own words. So even though the foot post was frustrating, he really was trying to do what is best for us going forward. And yes he is the Commissioner's son, but knowing Jamie and the Commissioner as I do, that means nothing to them. Jamie is treated just like any other cop and even worse sometimes but he tries to fix whatever situation he faces because that is the kind of man he is. The 2-9 was not what he was expecting and he needed to ensure he was in command, to make sure he earned the respect of his officers at whatever cost to their personal opinion of him."

"I did appreciate that he went the extra mile and found out what was really going on between the bodega owner and the kid. I may have been a little quick to judge, but it's just that he does things in a very different way to my old Sergeant and it's going to take some getting used to. I will try to keep any negative comments to myself if that makes it easier," Maya offered.

"I appreciate that but he told me to make fun of him so fire away. Although I will say, I do tend to get a bit mumma-bearish if someone talks smack about him so just be warned of that," Eddie advised, half-jokingly.

"So how come I've never seen you wear a ring before, not on nor after duty?"

"Not many people know about us so I don't wear my ring around the precinct, including when we finish our tour. We are trying to keep our personal lives as separate from our professional as much as possible especially since we work in the same precinct and we don't want to cause any trouble," Eddie explained.

"I get that, and I won't tell anyone. I can see how important this is to you."

"Thank you," Eddie nodded appreciatively.

"So have you met his family yet?"

"I have, I actually have dinner with them every Sunday. It's a very different experience to anything I've been a part of in a long time, but I really admire that they make time to meet up every Sunday to eat together and catch up. It helps that the food is really good too," Eddie laughed.

"Has he met yours?" Maya inquired.

"Uh my family situation is a little complicated. Jamie met my dad a while ago but he keeps bugging me about meeting my mum so that probably has to happen soon if he has anything to say about it," Eddie reluctantly answered.

"You don't want him to meet her? You embarrassed of our Sergeant?" Maya joked.

"Ha, no it's quite the opposite actually," Eddie admitted. This was not an easy situation for her knowing how close Jamie was to his family and how well they all treated each other and how after everything they had gone through with her father's arrest, her's could not be farther from that. Since they had first become partners, he had always pushed her to reconcile with her father and she may have started to move forward in that respect, but her relationship with her mother had always been on the rocks since the incident. Jamie didn't really know the extent of that damage and if he had, he probably would have been pushing Eddie to repair that relationship as well, even more. She knew he certainly wouldn't back off, especially since they are now engaged.

"My mother is not the easiest person to deal with and she does not know I'm engaged or that I'm with Jamie at all. She never really liked my becoming a cop and now that I'm getting married to a cop, I'm not exactly sure how well that will go down."

Maya nodded, aware of how complex family dynamics could be. She didn't push any further, knowing they were approaching sensitive topics that perhaps in the early stages of their partnership were not to be approached just yet. "So since he did tell you to make fun of him, got any stories about him annoying you on tour?"

"So many of them, but the one thing I'm glad has finally changed is that I finally get to drive. He never let me drive. There was one time he did but that whole tour all I heard was him complaining about my driving. Now that I think about it, that may have been his plan because I never drove again after that. It was so frustrating but even more fun to bring it up whenever we were partnered with other cops that I did get to drive with them."

* * *

"So I told Maya about us and that we are engaged, today," Eddie began.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah I felt like she had a right to know given she's my partner and all and if we are going to build a bond as partners then I probably shouldn't keep such a big secret that could affect us on a professional level, from her."

"How do you think it went down?"

"I'm pretty sure she's fine with it. She seems to understand why I reacted the way I did and why I defended you when she probably expected otherwise, and she knows the situation could have gone completely sideways. I think we'll end up having a good partnership."

"I'm glad to hear that. You know I just want the best for you Eddie, on and off the job."

"I know and I love you for it," Eddie gazed up at him lovingly, knowing how much he worried about her and felt protective over her.

"I love you too."

"And just for you, I even made fun of you a little."

"I'm glad to hear it," Jamie chuckled.

"You have to know though, I _will_ always have your back, no matter what. It's a reason it's part of our vows. We are partners, even if we aren't working together anymore and I will protect you like you protect me as well, a bit too much sometimes. You can count on me, always."

"I know and I will always be there for you, even when I don't agree with the way you might do something, it's all out of love."

"Although there is one thing that is already awesome."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"I finally get to drive. I no longer have an overbearing partner complaining about my driving," Eddie grinned.

"Hey, I care about the safety of pedestrians on the street and my own thank you. You become a speed demon when you drive sometimes," Jamie fired back, faking offence.

Eddie lightly pushed Jamie away, revelling in that after a long day of needing to ensure she would not accidentally reveal their engagement in fear of being split up, even farther apart this time, they could just come home, relax and joke around, enjoying each other's company.

Knowing that he needed to approach the topic sooner rather than later, Jamie brought up something that he had been treading lightly on not long after they got engaged. "Do you think it's time I met your mother?"

"I don't think that's necessary." Eddie was surprised by the sudden change of pace.

"You don't think your mum should meet me before the wedding?"

"No I think we'll be okay."

"Eddie does she even know we are engaged?"

"Hasn't come up yet."

"Do you not want your mum to meet me or something? Are you embarrassed by me?" Jamie asked, nervous as to the response could potentially be.

"What no, I could never be embarrassed of you Lampchop. See the thing is my mum doesn't know we are engaged. She doesn't even know I'm seeing anyone and I don't really know how to approach that subject with her."

"Why? Do you think she won't approve?"

"She has not approved of many of my adult life choices and I don't want to give her ammunition to disapprove of another. The fact that I'm a cop engaged to a cop, her reaction could be anything. I'm sure she'll warm up to you but our relationship hasn't been the best since the whole fiasco with my dad and I don't want to go back down that road again."

"Hey, you won't. I'm here for you, every step of the way. You won't be alone. Besides, I'll just throw on the Jamie Reagan charm and everything will be alright. It worked on you didn't it?" Jamie smirked, hoping to put a smile back on Eddie's face.

"I'm sure you will. I know that you should meet her and you will I promise. I just need to figure out how to let her know. Maybe I'll just invite her to dinner and we show up together and we can let my ring say it all," Eddie offered, hoping that whatever goes down, her mum would be happy for her and Jamie and that maybe she could finally keep the past where it belongs and move forward with her mother. If there was one thing Jamie had taught her over the years, it was how important family was and especially after all of those Sunday Dinners, she couldn't agree more and Eddie knew that it was time to mend the broken relationships in her family, particularly as she started to miss having her family even more, and those great memories she cherished so much before everything went down. After all, someday she would have her own family with Jamie, starting from when they officially tie the knot, and she wanted her family to be as much a part of that as Jamie's would certainly be.

"I'm cool with that. Speaking of rings, I was thinking about you not being able to wear your ring whilst on duty and I thought if you wanted, you could put it on this so that you could always have it with you," Jamie offered, pulling out a long, sleek black box and opening it to show her the contents of the box.

Inside was a simple silver chain with a pendant already on there. To anyone it would look like a simple heart but Eddie could differentiate the bent 'E' and 'J' that were melted into each other forming a heart.

"You could add your ring to it when you are on duty and that way you can keep it safe but with you at all times and the heart is there to always remind you of us," explained Jamie, hoping that she would like his gift.

Eddie got up and walked into their bedroom, not having said anything at all. Jamie waited, holding his breath as he thought she did not like his idea and he was quickly thinking of ways to repair the situation.

"Eddie it's ok if you don't like it or don't want to wear the ring on tour, it was just an idea," Jamie quickly retracted, hoping to get her to come back out so he could make sure everything was alright.

Staying silent, Eddie walked back out to the living room, bringing her service cap with her. Jamie was confused and worried about what was going on, hoping to find out what was causing his fiancée to react this way.

Eddie held out the cap in front of her, tilting it to show Jamie what was inside the cap. "I put this photo to remind me of you and us and why I became a cop, to do the right thing no matter the consequences. It helped remind me that I had someone waiting at the other side of the door. With all the things we've been through and the danger we face within our jobs, it reminded me of the true meaning of life. Now, having this necklace, is like having this photo closer to me at all times. It also means I can just reach for my ring and the heart pendant when I'm not sure about what the right thing to do is or what my next move should be. Thank you for this, it's beautiful and I am really grateful for you and all that you've given me."

"I would crawl to the ends of the Earth and jump in front of a bullet without a second thought for you. I hope you know that," Jamie assured her, lightly pecking her on the forehead. "When did you take that?"

"When we went to Central Park the other day. It was just such a peaceful day amongst so many overwhelming aspects of our lives and I just wanted to capture that moment. It felt like such a perfect moment. I couldn't let it go to waste," Eddie explained, feeling lighter now that such a difficult part of their relationship to adjust to, was beginning to work itself out.

"So you have a picture of me with you always now do you? Don't want to miss my face too much?" Jamie joked, wanting to bring the mood back to something softer.

"I should have known not to tell you. Your ego is already large enough," Eddie mocked.

"Hey! Although, egos aside, it gives me good piece of mind knowing that even in a small way I'm always out there with you, no matter what."

It may have been a tough adjustment for them both not only with the transitioning of their relationship from a partnership and friendship to a romantic relationship where they were getting married in just a few months time, but then Jamie's promotion to Sergeant followed, as well as both of them adjusting to a new precinct and Jamie being Eddie's boss. They knew they would always be fine as long as they went through it together and could always count on one another. They may have gotten through that hurdle, but the outcome of one of the most important one's, meeting Eddie's mother, was yet to be decided.


End file.
